Coming Clean
by DowagerInTraining
Summary: After Mr Bates is arrested (CS S2) Anna is left with a lot of explaining to do, to Mrs Hughes, Mr Carson and Lord Grantham. It's time for the housemaid to 'fess up and let everyone know that she is now Anna May Bates!


**After Mr Bates is arrested and lead away from the servants' hall (CS S2) Anna is left with a lot of explaining to do to Mrs Hughes...**

The walk from the kitchen to Mrs Hughes' sitting room seemed longer. In fact, everything was moving more slowly. A blur of black, with smudged pale faces, swam before her. She had scarcely been settled into the wooden backed chair before her mind swam. Strong hands held her, a distant voice called her name.

"Anna ... Anna! Are you quite well? Come dear, sit, just sit here..."

Mrs Hughes was speaking to her, she was dimly aware of Mr Carson standing in the doorway.

"...shut the door..."

The click of the door brought her back to herself. Mr Carson was gone. His voice boomed down the corridor, calling for Jane, no doubt anxious to get to the bottom of the confusion that had settled like a filthy film over the whole of his domain. Police officers in his servants' hall, his staff being arrested, outrageous displays of public affection, it was all more than Mr Carson could handle. The room came into focus. She was aware of Mrs Hughes placing a glass of water into her hand.

"Just take a sip of this..."

Anna drank the water slowly, wishing she could stop her hand from shaking.

"Are you alright dear?"

Anna met Mrs Hughes' eyes.

"No, Mrs Hughes, no I'm not alright..."

The lines of worry set into the kind lady's face as she fished a handkerchief out of her pocket.

"So ... do you want to tell me what all of that was about? Those policemen, and you saying those words to Mr Bates?"

"Mr Bates ... has been arrested. Charged with the murder of his wife. I mean, his first wife."

"Murder ...! Of his wife ... first wife? What do you mean first wife, how many times has the man been married?"

Anna's heart twanged in sympathy for the dear woman, who had been a good friend to her through these years and yet was still in the dark about so much.

"Well Mrs Hughes, the thing is ... on Friday ... Mr Bates and I went into Ripon. To the registry office. He had a special license and we had to go right away. So ... we got married. We're man and wife now."

As she spoke, Anna fished the long chain out from under her dress, upon which hung her wedding ring.

Mrs Hughes sank into the other chair, apparently rendered speechless.

"So you are..."

"His wife. Yes. I'm now Anna Bates."

Anna unclipped the chain, threaded the ring off and pushed it onto her finger, where it lay smooth and cool on her finger, a reassuring weight. A reminder that Friday had not been a dream, not an imagining. A reality. It was the one comforting thought that lurked in the corner of her mind, keeping at bay all of the worries that threatened to swamp her.

"Well ... you could knock me down with a feather. Why on earth didn't you tell anyone?"

"I'm so sorry that this is how I had to tell you. But her ladyship was so ill, and then there was Miss Swire's funeral ... and you were so taken up with Mr Carson being taken ill as well."

"Was there anyone who knew?"

"Jane knew. She covered my duties for me. And Lady Mary knew. She gave me permission to go."

"Did his lordship know?"

"Mr Bates had asked His Lordship's permission to marry me, but I don't think Mr Bates had time to tell him about the license. Everyone was so frantic, with the doctor coming and going, and Lady Grantham being so ill..."

Despite her disapproval of the hasty completion of the matter, Mrs Hughes had to acknowledge that this was a fair assessment of the situation. Her heart twanged with pity for the young woman, who had waited for this day for so long, her marriage to her beloved Mr Bates, that she hadn't been able to share it or take any joy in it with her friends.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in..."

Mr Carson appeared.

Mrs Hughes beckoned him in.

"I've spoken to his Lordship. He's on the telephone right now to his solicitor, Mr Murray."

Anna nodded.

"What I couldn't say to him was how you fitted into all of this, Anna."

"Well ... Mr Carson... you see, Mr Bates and I..."

"They're married, Mr Carson."

The blood drained from Mr Carson's face.

"Married? What do you mean, married?"

Anna was aware of Mrs Hughes squeezing her hand suddenly as she started talking.

"It happened on Friday, Mr Carson. We've all been trying to find the right moment to tell you, but what with Miss Swire's death, and the funeral and everyone being so ill, including you, there simply hasn't been a moment."

Anna's heart thumped under her blouse. Mrs Hughes, outright lying to Mr Carson? Making out that she knew about it? What on earth was happening?

"You knew?"

"Of course I knew... You were laid up in bed with the flu, and someone had to take charge of all of this."

"Did anyone in the family know?"

"Lady Mary knew. She gave Anna permission to go. His Lordship knew of the intention, but the special license came through very quickly."

Hearing her own story come back from the good lady's lips helped Anna to find her place in the narrative. She would never be able to thank her for this.

Mr Carson looked down at Anna's hand. There, freshly replaced on her hand, lay her wedding ring, proof positive of the events that had just been relayed to him.

"So you are Mr Bates' next of kin, now?"

"Yes, Mr Carson."

"I see."

"Mr Carson, we should really make sure his lordship is aware of..."

Footsteps sounded outside the room.

"Make me aware of what, Mrs Hughes?"

Both ladies sprang to their feet instinctively. Lord Grantham motioned for Anna to sit back down as she swayed on her feet. She gratefully sank back into her seat, her ears ringing slightly.

"My lord, it would appear that Mr Bates does indeed have a next of kin. He and Anna were married, on Friday."

"Married!"

"I'm sorry we didn't tell your lordship ... it all came about very quickly."

"So I see... perhaps you'd better explain."

Talking through the whole story, with Mrs Hughes holding her hand, made Anna feel a little stronger.

"Did you know this was coming? Was that the reason for the haste?"

"It was ... we thought that Mr Bates might have some trouble from the police. It seems that Mrs ... I mean, the first Mrs Bates, has arranged matters to make it appear as though he is implicated in her death."

"Good lord..."

Mr Carson's lips thinned at his lordship's blasphemy, but did not dare to comment.

"And you agreed to this?"

"I knew that if we did not do this, I would have no right to be kept informed. No proper place beside him. I felt that ... we have always made our intentions toward marriage clear, and I felt that it should be my right to be kept informed, to be a part of his life through this."

"Anna, I can only say that this is a very brave decision on your part, if perhaps a little fool hardy."

"Mr Bates is innocent, my lord. I swear it, he is innocent. And I will stand beside him in his innocence, until we can prove that he is."

"And I believe you. I believe in him. We all do. I've known Bates for a very long time, I know that he doesn't have this in his character. A temper perhaps, but not this sort of cold calculation. Now, I've spoken to Murray, he's getting the first train up from London, he'll be here this evening."

"I'll ask one of the maids to make up a room for Mr Murray, milord."

"Thank you Mrs Hughes. Now, I had planned to go into the police station and speak with them about Bates and his situation, but now I really think that you should come, Anna. As his wife, you have the right to know what is happening, and they have an obligation to keep you informed. We must make them aware of that. I'll speak to Mr Matthew, and see if he's up to coming with us, to give us some legal counsel until Murray can get here."

Anna nodded, a thankful sort of relief washing through her that strong people with broad shoulders were appearing to help her carry her burdens through this. She and John had shouldered them alone, if together, for so long, that she had forgotten how it felt to let people in to help them. The hand clasped around hers, the reassuring presence of Mr Carson, the kind and organised plans of Lord Grantham, all threatened to make her tears overspill.

"Would you like to bring someone with you? Mrs Hughes, perhaps?"

Anna couldn't bring herself to speak, but clung to her employer's hand. She nodded, tears leaking from her eyes.

"Alright. I'll make some telephone calls, and we'll take it from there."

"Carson could you speak to..."

Before the question was even out of his mouth, Lord Grantham was on his way, Carson being taken along with him to listen to the remainder of his request. Anna and Mrs Hughes were left alone.

"You didn't have to do that. To say all that..."

Anna's free hand clenched around the borrowed handkerchief.

"Now dear ... we can't have Mr Carson thinking that I don't know what goes on under this roof. I think it's better this way. You're going to go through a difficult enough time in the next few weeks and months."

"Thank you for coming with me."

"You might be a married woman my dear, but while you work in this house, I still think of you as being my responsibility."

For the first time since her arrival at Downton, Anna was grateful to hear those words. As a young woman she had chafed against those strict regimens and resented the tight rein that Mrs Hughes kept over the maids, but now, she felt so comforted to have someone care for her.

"Thank you, Mrs Hughes."

"We'll get through this together ... Mrs Bates."

The two women clasped hands, as Anna dried her eyes. Now she was ready to face what came next.


End file.
